As they welcomed the new year in 2023, the team at Save the Med also welcomed a new intern, Sterenn Le Calvez from France. Sterenn, who studies communication, shadowed Save the Med’s communication lead, Estela Morón for three months.Today she shares her experience from her time in Mallorca.
“The sea is where I feel free. Ever since I was little, I dreamed of working in a field related to the sea. I wanted to use my internship as an opportunity to gain working experience in a sector that focuses on what interests me the most and use communication in a way that makes sense to me and allows me to give back to the sea.”
From sailing classes to surfing, bodyboarding, paddling and snorkelling, Sterenn spends as much time as possible in the water. When looking at how she could combine her studies and career with her love for the sea, the path led her to Save the Med Foundation.
At Save the Med, as in any environmental NGO, there can never be enough hands or creative minds to help get the work done! When Sterenn’s request to intern came through, team member Estela saw an opportunity to bring a young person’s perspective to the team. Turns out it was a match made in heaven!
Besides bringing her own creative flare, Sterenn was incredibly perceptive, and immediately became helpful as a team member. A wonderful mix of intelligence, dedication and a youthful adventurous soul! Sterenn swept in like a fresh sea breeze, bringing good vibes, an eagerness to learn and excellent skills for visual communication.
“What stood out the most was undoubtedly her passion, her smile and her supportiveness” Estela says about Sterenn. “She brought me back to my twenties, when I was discovering Paris during my Erasmus and everything was about learning new things and meeting new people - very exciting times!” she says with a big smile.
When asked if the internship met her expectations, Sterenn replies:
“It was above all my expectations! The experience has been very enriching. Firstly, due to the teamwork: sharing knowledge, tools, ideas... Secondly, due to the ability to synthesise: to look for valuable information in the right places. And finally, the chance to work with a professional communicator while speaking in another language has given me very much.”
Some examples of the activities Sterenn carried out include: creating photographic and video content for events and education programmes, helping project managers in their research, conducting interviews, gathering information for press articles, accompanying the education team to schools and, of course, exploring the island!
One moment stood out to Sterenn when looking back at her internship.
“There are so many moments that will be etched in my memory forever, but if I have to choose only one memory, I think it would be the last day. Because at that moment, when we had to say goodbye and I received so many beautiful words from the whole team, thanking me. At that moment I realised that I was crying (laughs). And I realised how sad I was to have to leave those golden humans with whom I have had such wonderful experiences, with whom I had laughed and with whom I had learned so much. But those tears were tears of happiness too. Because they meant that I had undeniably lived an incredible, unforgettable adventure. At that moment, by their side, I realised that I had been very lucky to do my internship with them and that this experience is invaluable.”
She ends the interview by saying “Thanks to the team, thanks to the projects and thanks to the energy used to make Mallorca a plastic-free island with people who are aware and who respect the sea.”
It turns out, the feeling was mutual! Her energy and positivity are missed very much by the team, and the whole of Save the Med is thankful to Sterenn for conducting her internship so wholeheartedly, bringing new perspectives and loads of laughs to the day to day work.
It was a reminder once again, that to succeed in the mission of marine regeneration and conservation, you need the right people by your side. People who are willing to connect their passion for life on Earth with their actions in life, people who love to work as a team, forging forward together. The one and only way!